Campbell chases more glory
Linford Christie always used to growl how he wouldn't even speak to his grandma between the rounds of major championships.
Watching Darren Campbell marching past reporters with silent, wide-eyed tunnel vision after reaching the world 200metres final was to see someone who has grown into the mirror image of his mentor.
Campbell has his work cut out to win his second medal here tonight, when, from the unfavourable lane two, he will see outside him two brilliant Americans, Darvis Patton and John Capel, and the lasting quality of 35-year-old Namibian Frankie Fredericks.
Yet Campbell's words after the 100m final still nagged away. "It's about time you recognised how I've become a tremendous championship runner," he said, reminding us of his European 100m title, Olympic 200m silver and now a world 100m bronze.
He no longer cares about being underrated. "I love the battle, the showtime. Standing on that line with the flashlights going off," he said.
Christian Malcolm departed tamely in his semi, seemingly blinded by those flashlights.
"Darren's like me. He's inspired by the thought of medals," reckoned Christie, who won his major golds after he turned 30. "This could be just the start."
